Saved From Darkness

What a joy to see the power of Christ's work on the cross. Reading the first chapter of Paul's letter to the Colossians, the imagery of light strikes me in a way that highlights the stakes: "He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son" (v. 13). A verse earlier, Paul explains that the Father "has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light" (v. 12).

Sometimes redemption loses its luster in its regularity - if we have trusted in Christ for any length of time, it takes on an everyday, part-of-life status. But Paul reminds us that Christ's purchase of us is more than a nice benefit - he purchased us from the dominion of darkness. The transaction in which we as believers are involved (a passive involvement, due to no work on our part) dramatically changes our position. May I remember how blessed I am to live with the knowledge that I have been "transferred . . . to the kingdom of his beloved Son," away from "the dominion of darkness."